Attempts to provoke teens into discussion on the complex issue of going steady. Provides little support for the practice.
Ken Smith sez: A film devoted to a problem that no longer exists. "Marie Miller" and "Jeff" are faced with social trauma because they've let their relationship "drift into" what others perceive as "going steady." But is that really what THEY want? "This question is not answered for them, and it is not answered for you" warns the title card at this film's opening. The film substitutes opening and closing title cards for a narrator.
While Going Steady has no narration, the angst-ridden self-examination by Jeff and Marie more than fill up the dead air, and leaves the impression that going steady is about as much fun as an abscessed tooth. Jeff: "Am I going steady? What does that mean? How did I get into this anyway?" Jeff's mom: "You'll likely go steady with several different girls before you begin to think seriously about marriage." Marie: "What about petting? I've heard you can get too deeply involved if you're going steady." Marie's mom: "I hope Jeff doesn't feel he has the right to -- take liberties." Marie: "Oh, mother!" Apparently, parents wanted to prevent their aimless postwar teens from "drifting into" going steady so that they wouldn't be "drifting into" marriage (or sex). Thankfully, Jeff and Marie become aware of their dangerous lassitude and end the film smiling, carefree, and significantly further away from uncontrollable urges.
Going Steady ends with a title card: "This story hasn't answered all your questions, has it?" Truer words were never to appear in a Coronet social guidance film.
TEENAGERS GOING STEADY ROMANCE COUPLES PARENTS FAMILY LIFE DATING ADOLESCENTS CHILDREN BOYS GIRLS IMMATURITY AGE SOCIAL GUIDANCE ACTIVITIES PHONOGRAPHS RECORDS MUSIC DISCUSSIONS SEXUALITY PETTING
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Reviewer:
JayKay49
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December 22, 2012
Subject:
I Say Hold Out For Diane
Diane is way better looking than Marie whose face has too much of that Rana pipiens look to it. Not to mention what a princess complex is just below the surface...she wants to depend on Jeff to attend to her social needs but longs for other boys to call her and ask her out. How typical - wants to have it BOTH ways - yet offers little.
The need for this whole film and discussion would have been moot if they just had invented the "-ish" ending for words,
i.e., "going steadyish". Not uncommon 20 years later.
Reviewer:
mjp54
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August 2, 2010
Subject:
is that Hope Summers?
Hey . . . that looks like Hope "he-doesn't-think-he-can-take-liberties" Summers . . . she played Clara Edwards in the town of Mayberry.
(what a resume . . . from this, to Rosemary's Baby !)
Reviewer:
AJRowe
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September 5, 2009
Subject:
I love these videos
I went to college during the late 1990's and I remember my English teacher speaking of these films. It's so amazing to be able to watch them now. These have helped me to better understand how things were back in the 1940's and 1950's when my grandma was young and why some of her ideas seem so different from those in the younger generations. Thank you for these.
Reviewer:
DrAwkward
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August 16, 2009
Subject:
Making Fudge
Well now, Barney doesn't seem nearly as conflicted as Marie and Jeff about his relationship, even if the activity he's about to get involved in sounds a lot more suggestive than "going steady." Imagine if the term "making fudge" were substituted every time one of the main characters said "going steady." That might be all you'd need to bring the film up to date.
Reviewer:
monoceros4
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May 28, 2009
Subject:
Going steady? Get the cyanide
The funniest, or creepiest, aspect to this film is how both kids, when confronted with the idea that they might be "going steady", talk and act as if they'd just told they might have multiple sclerosis. They both treat the news as unpleasant and unwelcome, but they decide eventually that the only thing to do is learn to live with their steadiness. I've never seen such a grey and depressing look at love and I'm not forgetting all those V.D. films where sex means inevitable syphilis.
Reviewer:
doowopbob
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April 5, 2009
Subject:
Ahhh....Sure Baby....Heh Heh....
As Long As I Could Cop A Feel & Get A B/J I Played Along....If Not It Was See You Sister!
Reviewer:
EazyJake
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February 13, 2009
Subject:
Great
Ha well, i thoroughly enjoy this and many of the mid 50's video i have watched. \what a simpler tine
Reviewer:
ERD
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
February 7, 2006
Subject:
Teenage Pressures
Teenages have a lot of social pressures; What is right to do, what isn't. In this film it seems the way these teenagers handled the problem of going steady was fine. For 1951, I think the film is excellent and got teens to think.
Reviewer:
depthfunction
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favoritefavoritefavorite -
April 6, 2005
Subject:
That Jeff - what a dawg!
This isn't one of the more laughable Coronet films, but it does feature Barney - Marie's little brother who, in his brief appearance, does the best acting job, and has the best line of the film ("That was Alice. She wanted me to come over and make some fudge with her - girls! But I guess I'll go anyway." BWAHAHAHA!)
Jeff's checkers game with his father was goofy. His family desperately needs to buy one of them newfangled TVs.
The film ends with the question, "This story hasn't answered all of your questions, has it?" No it hasn't. Not by a long shot!
Reviewer:
Marysz
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July 24, 2004
Subject:
Waiting by the Telephone
Teenagers Jeff and Marie have aimlessly drifted into a relationship where Jeff simply shows up at the door whenever he wants. Marie hangs around waiting for him. She wonders why no other boys ask her out. In the meantime, Jeff asks MarieÂs friend Diane out, but she refuses because she assumes Jeff and Marie are going steady (besides, sheÂs also going steadyÂwith Hal). ÂGoing steady? Me! How did I get into this! wonders Jeff. Over a game of checkers, JeffÂs dad explains to him that he should go steady with a few girls but ÂdonÂt make any commitments. Diane, while setting MarieÂs hair in bobby pins, recommends going steady because it means being guaranteed a date on Saturday night and you ÂdonÂt have to make an effort to be your best all the time. But Marie worries about petting and Âgoing too far.Â
Next we see Jeff combing his hair in the bathroom mirror. ÂDonÂt expect too much and donÂt make any commitments! he tells his reflection. JeffÂs happy because now he has an excuse not to commit himself to a relationship with a girl. MarieÂs relieved because sheÂs fearful about petting. This film was obviously made to discourage teenagers from drifting into premarital sex. But JeffÂs inability to make a commitment and MarieÂs fear of sex could lead to problems down the line.
Reviewer:
Spuzz
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 29, 2003
Subject:
Steady: Do's and Dont'a.
Highly guilt ridden film made to poo-poo the remote fact of going steady unless you're good and ready. Film seems to okay the idea that it's alright to play the field more and not to take the idea of going steady too seriously. This is one very strange film if you consider all the other films in the Coronet canon. (especially 'Are You Ready For Marriage?) which seems to preach the opposite. The leads, who somewhat look like Liev Schrieber and Ren¨¦e Zellweger, play the parts admirably, as the whole script is laughable. Especially the bit with the boy's parents on the couch. Highly Reccomended!!
